Soul Edge: The Beginning
by Ant423
Summary: 26 years before the events of "Soul Blade," a young man sets off on a quest to find the legendary Soul Edge.
1. Soul Edge

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Soul Calibur or anything related to it.

_**Transcending history and the world,**_

_**A tale of souls and swords eternally retold...**_

**Chapter 1:**

Thomas Hunter walked slowly around the tiny antique shop, sweeping up the floor. Located in the middle of a small town in England, this shop had been a hot spot for the rich dealers for many years. Thomas' master, Lord Harold Green, was a successful business man who made millions off his antiques. Thomas, on the other hand, was just an ordinary middle class man who had been working odd jobs at the shop for a while now, and he saw it as a dead-end career. In reality, Thomas envied his master and wished to one day be as rich as him.

Thomas was 26 years old and very handsome with broad shoulders, sharp eyes and a small nose. He also had brown hair combed neatly to the side. Despite his good looks, he never had any luck with the ladies, mainly because of his clumsiness. It always embarrassed him that at his age, he still was still stuck with a boring job and no girlfriend.

"Hunter!" shouted Harold, "Where are you?" Harold walked into the room. He was a man around 50 with a small beard and long hair tied up in a ponytail. His long, red robes dragged across the floor as he walked.

"I'm right here," replied Thomas, "In the living room. I'm just sweeping up."

"Good job," Harold seemed anxious, "Listen, could you go to the other room and make tea?"

"Expecting someone?"

"Just a friend from London. Now I hope everything's in order here." Thomas went into the kitchen and began the tea. Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" shouted Harold. He opened the door and a 30-something year old man with blue robes and long, black hair entered.

"John, my good man!" Shouted the antiques dealer, "Come in! So nice to see you"

"Always a pleasure coming here," Replied the man.

"Have a seat," said Harold. The two men sat on a nearby couch. Just then, Thomas entered the room with a tray of tea.

"Oh," said the visitor, "Is this your servant?" Harold nodded.

"Hi," said Thomas, "My name is Thomas Hunter. Nice to meet you" He shook the man's hand.

"Pleased to meet you. I am Count John Valentine. I came all the way from London for a quick visit. How long has it been?"

"At least 3 years," said Harold, "I've been so busy, you know, with the shop and all. Um, Thomas, why don't you pour the tea?" Thomas did as he was told.

"So, how has the search been going?" asked Harold.

"It's been tough," answered Count Valentine, "Many of the clues I've found over the years have proven useless. My only theory right now is that it is in France, but I can't be sure." Thomas listened carefully to what the two men were saying as he poured the tea.

"Have you ever thought of giving up?" asked Harold.

"I can never give up," said the count, "With the Soul Edge, I can save the family from our debts. The Valentines can be the most powerful family in England...No, in Europe."

"Um," began Thomas, "I am very sorry to interrupt, but what exactly is the Soul Edge?"

"Thomas!" shouted Harold, "What have I told you..."

"It's alright," said Valentine, waving his hand in the air, "The boy is curious." Valentine offered Thomas to sit down on the couch. "

According to legend," he began, "The Soul Edge was a sword that was created in ancient times. After being used to slaughter countless innocents, it developed a soul, and became pure evil. All those who grab its hilt will fall under its evil influence.

"At one point in time, it was wielded by a powerful king who managed to fight the Soul Edge's will. His jealous son, however, stole the cursed sword and was soon possessed by it. The king eventually defeated his son, and the Soul Edge became lost throughout history, though there are hundreds of stories from various people who claimed to have wielded it over thousands of years. So far, I have not found any clue as to its current whereabouts."

"But," said Thomas, "If it's evil, why would anyone want it?"

"Those with a strong will can beat its influence. It's all about patience. Plus, I don't plan on actually wielding it-Just _owning_ it is enough to solidify your place above the elite. Nowadays, the Soul Edge could sell for millions."

Thomas said nothing except for "Wow." Count Valentine's story was so intriguing, Was this legend true? A new desire was burning inside of Thomas, and a crazy idea was brewing in his mind.


	2. The Journey Begins

**Chapter 2:**

It was now the following day. Thomas was doing his usual job- Sweeping. Everything from the night before was cleaned up and Count Valentine was on his way back to London. Harold was in the other room as usual, dealing with customers. As soon as he was done, Thomas approached his master.

"Excuse me, my Lord,"

"Ee-yeeeees," replied Harold in his snobbiest voice.

"I was...um...well," Thomas began, "I was thinking a lot of what Count Valentine had said the other day, and I...um..."

"You want to look for Soul Edge?" asked Harold with a big smile that made Thomas very uncomfortable.

"Yes," he replied.

Harold burst out into laughter. In fact, he laughed so hard, he nearly fell down.

"Are you serious?!" shouted Harold, "You? Find Soul Edge?? Ha!"

"Listen, sir," began Thomas, "I think that it could be a great challenge for me. I want to have a little excitement in my life. I want to go out and do something worthwhile. Who knows? Maybe I'll actually find it and become rich."

"First of all, Thomas, there's nothing wrong with my store. I don't see how you can be bored here. And anyways, the Soul Edge doesn't even exist."

"But Count Valentine..."

"I hate to say it, but Count Valentine is a nut case."

"How do you know he's wrong? I'm positive there's a Soul Edge out there."

"Yes, but even if it did exist, you would never find it. You would never survive out there." Harold then walked up to a large painting on the wall. "See that?"

Thomas nodded.

"That's my grandfather, Lord Henry Calvin Green" said Harold proudly, "He was a real explorer! A true hero! In his lifetime, he battled pirates and thieves. He explored the New World. And you...You're just a small man working in _my _antiques shop."

Thomas lowered his head.

"I'm not asking for your help or anything," said Thomas, "If something goes wrong, I can always come back home.

"I admire your courage in asking me to go on this adventure," said Harold, "I'll tell you what. I'll let you go on your little quest, and I'll give any tool or cash that you need."

"Really?" Thomas' face lit up.

"Yes, any equipment that you need. But, if you come back empty handed, then you will not only work at the shop, but you will be my personal servant at home as well in order to make up for the money I gave you. And if you break any of the stuff I gave you, you're fired. Now, do we have a deal?"

"Wait I didn't say anything about this being a deal..." said Thomas.

"Do we have a deal?" repeated Harold. Thomas nodded and shook his hand.

"I will do it! I will find Soul Edge!"

Thomas spent the rest of the day packing his stuff. He was to begin his journey the following morning. As risky as it was, Thomas was determined to find the Soul Edge. If he succeeded, he would not only be filthy rich, but his name would be forever embedded in the history books. Plus, Thomas would finally get a break from his job.

The next morning, Thomas gathered his stuff and placed it into a large backpack. He also had a belt with many tools, including a pistol and a rapier. Wearing travelling shoes, a white shirt, a light blue vest and a long, blue coat, Thomas left the building and began his walk down the road, waving goodbye to his boss. Remembering Count Valentine's words, Thomas headed for the docs to take the next boat to France. His journey had officially begun.


	3. Assassin!

**Chapter 3:**

The next few days of Thomas' life were filled with long, rough treks across the British countryside. Without even a horse to ride, it took a while to reach London harbour where he would take the boat to France. Thomas often stopped at an inn to sleep, but many times, he found himself sleeping in a cave or under a tree. For the most part, the weather was harsh with only a few sunny days. Eventually, Thomas reached the docs.

"You look worn out," said a stranger at the docs.

"Yeah," replied Thomas, "I've been walking for 3 hours straight since the last town. I've got damn blisters on my feet."

"Ouch," said the man, "Look, everyone's boarding the ship. You coming?" Thomas nodded and followed the man as he got on board. "You on a journey?"

"Yeah, sure," answered Thomas. The two men boarded the ship and it began to leave the docs.

"There are lots of travellers nowadays," the man said, "Someone's always looking for some treasure." He chuckled. "So where are you from?"

"A town called Birmingham."

"Wow, my brother is from Birmingham. So, what are looking for?"

"I'm looking for the Soul Edge."

"Never heard of it." The man walked off.

For the rest of the day, Thomas spent much of his time at the bar buying drinks or outside admiring the scenery. He remembered how as a youngster he always got seasick. His father was a sailor and Thomas spent a lot of time on his ship and learned how to drive and handle one. In fact, Thomas' first job was on his father's ship. Unfortunately, after his father died, Thomas was forced to find a job elsewhere. To this day he was stuck with Lord Harold Green. Now, Thomas was finally given a chance. He realized that things were really going to change...

That night, as Thomas lay back and tried to go to sleep, he did not hear someone enter his cabin. The man raised his hands in the air and revealed a handkerchief, which he quietly brought down to Thomas' mouth. Thomas awoke and realized that he was being suffocated. He thrashed his arms violently and tried to push away the man's hands, but it was useless. Finally, Thomas lifted his leg up and kicked the man in the crotch, forcing him off. The man bumped into the wall, holding his groin.

"You son of a bitch!" he shouted.

"What the hell do you want?!" shouted Thomas, "Wait a minute! I know you!" He was the same man he met before the boat took off.

"What do you want?!" repeated Thomas. He ran up to the man and slammed him into the wall. The man pushed Thomas to the floor. He tried to stomp on Thomas' face, but Thomas rolled away just in time. He then found his bag on the floor, dug his hand into it and pulled out a pistol. Thomas stood up and pointed it straight at the man's face.

"I'm not going to say it again," said Thomas.

"Alright, alright," said the man, "I'm a spy. I am searching for the Soul edge...You can't go looking for it. It's for my master."

"Who's this master?"

"I've said too much," he said. He then knocked the gun out of Thomas' hands and ran out of the cabin. Thomas picked it up and chased him through the ship. Thomas headed above deck where he saw the man jump off the side. When he looked down into the water, he saw that the man had disappeared.

"Shit!" muttered Thomas. There was definitely something up with the Soul Edge. There were others after it, and they wanted it badly.


	4. Christine

**Chapter 4:**

After a few days, Thomas found himself near the town of Calais in France. As he walked down the long trail into town, he noticed his clothes were in bad shape from the journey. Thomas really wanted to get to an inn, but first, he decided to buy a drink at the tavern.

It didn't take long to find the tavern, as it was close to the outskirts. Thomas made it inside right on time-It was beginning to rain very hard. Shortly after entering the tavern, Thomas seated himself on a stool.

"_Qu'est-ce que tu veux?_" asked the bartender. Thomas did not understand a word of French, but he assumed it meant "What do you want?"

"Cognac," replied Thomas. The bartendender nodded and fetched the drink. Thomas turned to his left and saw a drunk, old man seated nearby. Thomas nodded at the man, but he simply ignored him.

"_Voici, monsieur_," said the bartender. He handed him the drink. Thomas took a sip.

"_Ou viens-tu?_" asked the bartender. Thomas just stared at him.

"What is the matter? You can't speak French?" The bartender had a strong French accent.

"I'm not from around here. I'm actually from England."

"I thought so. I usually recognize many of the people in this town."

"Yeah."

"How do you like it here?"

"Actually, I just got here."

"Are you visiting someone?" Thomas finished his drink and wiped his mouth.

"I'm looking for the Soul Edge," said Thomas, "I heard rumors that it is in France."

"The What?" said the Bartender, almost shouting.

"The Soul Edge," replied Thomas. All of a sudden, the man grabbed Thomas by the collar and brought him close to his face.

"Listen you," the bartender said angrily, "Do you know what that sword is capable of? Do you?!"

"Sort of..."

"That is an evil weapon and I will not have you mention its name in my tavern!"

"But..."

"Get out, you fiend! How dare you try to endager the lives of these townspeople!" He then let go of Thomas.

"Look sir," began Thomas, "I'm sorry if I offended you, but I don't mean any harm!"

"Get out," repeated the bartender. Thomas soon found himself surrounded by several large drunk men. "Oh..." Before anything bad could happen, Thomas stood up and made his way to the door.

"But I'm not paying the bill," shouted Thomas just before walking out the door.

Thomas found himself standing outside in the pouring rain. He walked down the streets looking at the buildings nearby. It was getting late, and many of the shops were closed. Thomas began to search for an inn. As he walked, Thomas slipped and fell to the ground.

"Just great," he muttered. He was soaking wet and low on dignity. Just then, he heard a voice:

"Need some help?" Thomas turned around to see a horse-drawn carriage pull up. A female sat inside and a small man, the driver, sat in front of the car with a large umbrella over his head. Thomas stood up and approached the carriage.

"Come in," said the woman.

She had a French accent, but her English was better than the bartender's. Thomas did what she said. Once inside, he got a good glimpse of her. She was tall and thin with long black hair and dark eyes. She wore a large grey dress.

"Thanks," he said.

"My name is Christine Lemieux"

"My name is Thomas Hunter." The carriage ride lasted for several minutes, during which the two said very little. They eventually arrived at a large house and the two went inside.

"Nice house," said Thomas, "You live by yourself?"

"Actually, this is my father, Jean-Pierre's, house," said Christine, "He's sick, so I have to take care of him."

"I don't mean to sound rude," began Thomas, "But why did you help me?"

"Well, you were lying on the street, soaking wet," she replied, "I couldn't leave you like that." She then approached Thomas and helped him take off his coat. "I always pity the homeless people."

"Wait a minute" said Thomas, "You think I'm homeless?"

"You aren't?"

"No, I'm a traveller, I came from England to look for the..."

"The what?"

"The last time I said it, I got myself thrown out of a tavern."

"Don't worry, you can tell me."

"I'm looking for the Soul Edge."

Christine shook her head."Why?" she asked, "That sword is evil, Thomas. It's not a toy, it's a weapon of great power."

"Everyone tells me that," said Thomas angrily, "How is this sword so damn evil?"

"Follow me," said Christine.

The two headed down a large hallway into what looked like a library. There were hundreds of shelves lined up with many books, old and new.

"Do you know how many people are after this weapon?" asked Christine.

"I know the Valentines are after it," said Thomas.

"Not just the Valentines," said Christine, "The Sorels, the Adams', the Seoungs. With so many looking for it, you are one lucky person if you can find it on time." Christine stopped in front of a large shelf and turned to face Thomas.

"Have you ever heard the story of Necrid?" she asked.

"No," replied Thomas.

"He was a brave warrior that lived over 500 hundred years ago. He searched the lands searching for the evil sword, just as you are doing. After beating its former owner, Necrid ran off the sword, but the his mind could not escape the evil influence. He murdered hundreds of innocent people; Anyone who came near him met a bloody end. Eventually, he realized the horrors of what he had done and attempted to escape from it."

"What happened?" asked Thomas.

"He vanished," said Christine, "And so did the Soul Edge. You see? Even the strongest of warriors can not escape the sword's power."

"How do you know this story?" asked thomas.

"Because," said Christine, pulling a book off a shelf, "He wrote a book." She handed him a large book with a brown hard cover. It was so old that the pages were turning yellow and falling apart. There was no title, but the words _Soul Edge_ were scribbled across the inside cover.

"Only a few copies were published," said Christine, "This copy has been in my family for several years." Taking the book, Thomas carefully flipped throught the pages.

"He was in Spain before he died," said Thomas, reading the end of the book.

"So?" asked Christine.

"That means the Soul Edge could be there," said Thomas.

"I doubt it," said Christine, "Kings and nobles have searched those regions for centuries."

"Well, I think it's a start!"

"Do you want to keep the book?"

"But it belongs to your family. Plus I thought you didn't want me to find the sword."

"I'm not stopping you from going. I only want you to know what you're up against. Take it, and read it carefully, Thomas."

"I don't know what to say," Thomas placed the book into his bag, "Thanks, I guess."

"I'll show you to your room," said Christine, "You can sleep here tonight. Be quiet though. I don't want you to wake my father."

"Ok. "

The two left the library and climbed the staircase. Thomas slept very well, as it was one of the only decent beds he had slept on in days.

The next morning, Thomas woke up, took a long hot bath and put his newly washed clothes on. He packed up his stuff and walked out the front door with Christine behind him.

"Is there any way I can repay you?' asked Thomas.

"Don't worry, Thomas," said Christine, "It was nothing. Just be careful, alright?"

"Alright."

"Maybe we'll see each other again."

The two waved goodbye to each other and Thomas walked off into the distance. The search for the Soul Edge continued.


	5. The Wrath of the Manji Clan

**Chapter 5:**

Thomas walked down the large forest. It had been several days since his time at Calais. He wanted to head to the Harbour to take a boat to Spain, but was afraid he might be running out of money. He might have had to walk to Spain. Tired, Thomas stopped under a tree to rest. He opened up his bag and searched through it a bit. All of a sudden, he heard something. He turned his head.

"Who's there?" he demanded. Just then, something struck the side of his head and he passed out.

When Thomas awoke, he found himself lying on the grass. He looked up and saw several men, who appeared to be ninjas, digging through his stuff.

"Hey!" shouted Thomas.

He stood up and tried to run to them, but found a katana right up against his neck. Thomas saw the man holding the sword-A large, powerful looking Japanses man with a white beard and long white hair. Despite his old age, he looked like an accomplished warrior. His eyes were focused and calm. He also had an enormous flag sticking out of his back.

"Where do you think you're going?' the man said in a Japanese accent.

"They have my stuff!" shouted Thomas, "Let me go!"

"I"m afraid I can't let you do that." The man took the sword away from Thomas' neck, but Thomas did not move.

"Who the hell are you?" asked Thomas.

"I am Myoushu Kumori," replied the man, "I am the chief of the manji clan."

"The manji clan?" asked Thomas, "You mean those Japanese Robin Hoods I hear about in the news?"

"We are more than Japanese Robin Hoods. We are warriors, who fight corruption in the lands. We seek justice and truth; We hope to guide the people of the world. We steal from the rich noble scum like yourself and give it to the needy!"

"Sounds like Robin Hood to me."

"SILENCE!" Kumori punched Thomas in the stomach and Thomas fell over.

As the ninjas searched through Thomas's things, one of them, pulled out a large golden mask with a happy face. Looking around, he quietly placed it into his pockets.

"Yoshimitsu!" called Kumori, "Come here!" The man who stole the golden mask approached Kumori and Thomas.

"Yes, master?" asked Yoshimitsu. he wore large white robes that hung loosely on his skinny frame. He was very young and handsome, but his face was scrarred. His black hair was tied into a little bun over his head.

"This is my apprentice," said Kumori to Thomas, "His skills, though a little, ahem, unorthodox, are far greater than any other clansmen. One day, he will replace me as leader of the manjitou. He will wield the great manji sword and wear the sashimono of honour."

"Hi, nice to meet you," said Thomas, still kneeling, "Do you mind not taking my stuff?" Yoshimitsu picked Thomas up by the neck.

"You nobles are all a bunch of filthy cowards," said Yoshimitsu, in a fake British accent, "We will steal all the things you take for granted, so some poor family here in France will take pleasure them."

"Actually," said Thomas, "I'm not a noble. I can barely pay my church taxes. This stuff belongs to my boss and if any of it is lost or stolen, I will be in big trouble."

"Then that is his problem," Yoshimitsu threw Thomas to the ground. Thomas angrily searched for his pistol, but it had been stripped off of him; as was his rapier.

"Damn it!" he shouted, "Damn you, filthy ninjas! What the hell are you doing in France, anyway?"

"I could be asking you the same question, you filthy Brit," snapped Yoshimitsu.

"I'm looking for the Soul Edge!" Suddenly, all the ninjas stopped and stared at him.

"The sword of salvation?" asked Kumori.

"What?' asked Thomas.

'This man knows where it is," said Yoshimitsu.

"Actually..." began Thomas.

"Look," said a random ninja, "He even has a book on it." He held Necrid's book up high.

"I thought it existed only in legends," said Kumori, "Where is it?"

"I don't know," said Thomas, "I'm trying to find out." Yoshimitsu then approached the chief and whispered into his ear.

"Come with us," said Kumori. Two ninjas suddenly grabbed Thomas and dragged him off. The rest of the ninjas packed up his things and followed them.

Thomas soon found himself being held up from both his arms by 2 large ninjas and being dragged down a dirt road. Thomas could not believe the mess he was in and even began to regret this whole journey.

"I told you," said Thomas, "I don't know where the Soul Edge is."

"That's why," began Kumori, "You're going to help us. It's about time you rich noble scum do something good for a change."

"For the last time," cried Thomas, "I am not rich! I work in antique shop sweeping up floors!" Yoshimitsu slapped Thomas in the face to shut him up.

"Jesus," said Thomas angrily, "Why do you guys do these things?"

"What do you mean?" asked Kumori.

"I mean how did this whole 'Help-The-Poor' schtick begin?"

"My greatgrandfather began his travels as a young man. He was a brave samurai and a powerful warrior, but gave up his position after he became fed up with the emperor's attitudes. He saw that the people were over-taxed and mistreated. He was a lone mercenary at first, but later, others joined him and they formed the manji clan."

"Haven't you ever thought to yourself, 'Hey, wait a minute! This isn't very legal?'"

"It doesn't matter," said Kumori, "The laws of man mean nothing if they are corrupted. We steal, but we are still honourable."

"How so?"

"We never harm anyone, unless they attempt to harm us."

"Oh, really?" said Thomas, "Well your friends here are squeezing my arms pretty tightly." Kumori igonored Thomas.

Damn, thought Thomas, Harold is going to kill me...If I actually get out of this. Suddenly, they heard a voice.

"HEY YOU! FREEZE!"

The entire clan turned around at the moment of the scream. Thomas took advantage of the situation and broke himself free from the ninjas' grip. He then brought his leg up into one of the ninja's stomach, causing him to fall over. He then turned around and did the same to the other ninja, while picking up his rapier, which had fallen during the chaos. Many of the ninjas began to run away from the voice. It was apparent now that the police were after them. Thomas began to run, but a ninja stepped in his path and swung his katana at him. Thomas deflected the sword and continued to run. He ran off the road into the bushes and into the trees and down a steep hill. With nothing but his rapier by his side, his only instinct was to run.

"Seeehhyaaaah!" Thomas turned around to see Yoshimitsu come flying down on him, katana in hand. Thomas dodged him.

"Damn you!" shouted the ninja.

"I thought you guys don't hurt anyone," said Thomas.

"You attacked 2 clansmen," replied Yoshimitsu, "Now you must pay! NAMU! NAMU! NAMU!"

Yoshimitsu began to swing his sword wildly, and Thomas fought back with his rapier. Yoshimitsu unleashed a mighty swing and Thomas held up his rapier to stop the blow. The 2 swords formed a large "X". Both men struggled to keep balance.

"You know, Yoshi," began Thomas, "Your accent sucks!"

"As my father always told me," said Yoshimitsu, "Overconfidence is the greatest enemy."

Yoshimitsu pushed Thomas away. The two began to fight again. Gunshots could be heard from above the steep hill. The 2 swords continued to clash in the middle of the thick forest. Yoshimitsu attempted to strike Thomas several time, but Thomas desperately avoided each one. In one mighty slash, Yoshimitsu accidentally chopped down a small tree. Thomas then brought his rapier down right on Yoshimitsu's arm...

"AAAH!" screamed Yoshimitsu, "You nearly chopped my arm off you bastard!" The ninja had managed to dodge the blow. "Hey! Where did you go?" Thomas had disappeared, but in reality, was actually behind Yoshimitsu.

"I'm right here," said Thomas. The ninja turned around and Thomas immediately smashed him on the head with a large rock, knocking him out.

"Namu, motherfucker," muttered Thomas. He then ran up the hill and back on the road. All of sudden, he found a whole line of guns pointed at his face.

"It's alright boys," said a familiar voice, "He's not one of them." The soldiers brought their weapons down and ran down the road.

"Christine?" asked Thomas.

"I felt so bad about letting you go alone," she said, "So I followed you. Looks like I got here right on time." Christine was wearing a small red jacket with a black, buttoned up and vest, and a rapier hung on the side of her belt. It was a lot different from the grey dress Thomas saw her wearing the first time.

"It was you who called the soldiers?"

"I saw you get kidnapped, but I knew I couldn't handle the whole clan on my own."

"Thanks a lot." Christine handed Thomas his bags, which had been thrown on the floor during the encounter with the soldiers.

"You are still heading to Spain?" asked Christine. Thomas nodded. "Alright, then. We'd better get a move on. My horse is waiting." The 2 walked down the road to where Christine left her horse.

"Who's taking care of your father?" asked Thomas.

"Don't worry," she replied, "I hired someone for now."


	6. Attack!

**Chapter 6:**

Thomas and Christine rode down the French countryside, admiring the beautiful scenery as they went along. The weather was much better than when Thomas first left England. As they went on, Thomas continued to read from Necrid's book

"And I thought you were going to lose it," laughed Christine.

"Are you kidding? I'm very careful with my stuff," said Thomas, "Well, except for what happened back there."

"You have to watch yourself, Thomas. There are bad people in these parts. It hasn't been very safe lately."

"What do you mean?"

"Recently there have been many political struggles. I know it sounds strange, Thomas, but I think it all has to do with the Soul Edge. Governments are fighting for control over its power."

"Hey!" said Thomas, "Check this out." He read a passage from the book:

_"Medo, wherever you are, hear my prayers. This thing, this inferno, is consuming my mind. I do not know how long it has been since I last saw you. However, I don't know if I can see you anymore. With my poisoned mind, I may kill you, and consume your soul. If you see me, then turn away-Do not look at the monster I have become. If approach you, then kill me. Bury my body somewhere quiet, then take the wretched sword and send it away. Send it to a place where no mortal will ever see it again. I continue to fight this evil influence, Medo, but I fear I am losing."_

"So we're assuming that this guy, Medo, hid the sword," said Christine, "But where?" Thomas shrugged. At that moment, Christine's horse began to slow down. They stopped and got off the horse.

"What's the matter, Bijoux?" Christine asked the horse, "Are you tired?"

"Maybe we should rest," suggested Thomas, "Look there's a creek over there. Your horse can drink." The two headed to a quiet spot in the woods and sat beneath a tree. As they relaxed, however, Thomas saw 2 strange figures approaching.

"Who the hell..." Thomas began. One of the figures pulled out a large blade and jumped. The other pulled out 2 daggers and followed.

"Holy Crap!" shouted Thomas, dodging the attack.

Thomas pulled out his rapier. Christine did the same. Working together, they fought off the 2 attackers vigorously. Thomas pushed the man with the sword into a nearby tree. The man with the daggers was very agile and gave Christine a hard time. Thomas helped by striking him from behind. The man blocked, but the distraction was enough to allow Christine to push the man into the same tree as the other man.

"Wait," said Thomas, "You again?" The man with the daggers was the same man as the one from the boat. Thomas did not recognize the other man, however. Thomas pulled out his gun and pointed it straight into their faces.

"What the hell do you want from me?" shouted Thomas.

"We will not speak," said the man with the sword.

"Shoot us, if you may," said the dagger man, "But we will not answer your questions. I tried to kill you last time, but this time, we need you alive."

"But why? Who sent you?" At that moment, Christine turned her head and saw a strange figure sitting in a tree in the distance.

"THOMAS!" she screamed, "WATCH OUT!" She immediately tackled Thomas to the floor. Just then, a loud gunshot rang in the distance. Thomas dodged the bullet, but the dagger man received the shot instead and died on the spot.

"Goddammit!" said the other man, as he fled the scene.

"Where's the shooter?' asked Thomas.

"Up in that tree," replied Christine, pointing.

Thomas saw a tall silhouette sitting on the top branch. He could not make out his face, but it was clearly a man. The figure jumped to the ground and began to run. Thomas began to chase the man, but he was a very fast runner. Eventually, Thomas lost him. The man did, however, leave behind his rifle. Thomas picked it up.

"Damn!" muttered Thomas. Christine caught up with Thomas.

"I lost the other one," she said.

"Did you search the body of the other guy?"

"Nothing of interest. What's that?"

"Rifle," replied Thomas. "Come on, let's go. I don't know what the hell these people want with me, but I need to find out."

"You've met them before?"

"Yeah..."

"This mission is more dangerous than I thought. Is it really still worth it?"

Thomas and Christine returned to the spot where the horse, Bijoux, was. Thomas picked up his bag threw it over his shoulder.

"When I was young," began Thomas, "My father was a sailor. He travelled the seas everyday, sometimes he would take me along as well. I loved him and I idolized him, but one day, he died and my life felt worthless after that. Our family was always very well off, but with my father gone, I had to get a job. I found the antiques store, and never left it to this day."

"So you're guilty of not being able to do more to help your mother." asked Christine, "You wish you could have done more other than your terrible job?"

"It's not a terrible job," said Thomas, "Sure it's boring and frustrating, but the pay is pretty good, and my master does a lot for me."

"I see," said Christine, approaching her horse, "You want more indpendence?"

Thomas shrugged. "I guess," he replied. Christine patted her horse on the head.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked.

"Sure," replied Thomas, "By the way, where did you learn to fight like that?"

"My father taught me," replied Christine, "He never believed that swords were only for guys. This sword actually belonged to him when he was a young man."

"Yeah. My master, Lord Green, taught me a bit. According to him, all nobles must learn to fight." Christine smiled.

"Where are we heading now?" she asked.

"Not Spain," said Thomas, "Italy. According to the inscription, this rifle was made in a shop in Palermo. I don't know what the shooter has to do with this, but let's find out who this belongs to."


	7. Zasalamel's Plan

**Chapter 7:**

Thomas and Christine slept in large cave as the rain poured violently outside. Thomas, however, could not sleep, as the many things began to flash through his mind. Instead, he lay down sideways on the blanket staring at the rain.

"Can't sleep?" asked Christine, who was sleeping by his side.

"Not really," said Thomas, "I've got a lot on my mind, Christine."

"Oh..."

"Well..." began Thomas. Just then, a group of men entered the cave.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Thomas.

"We were just looking for you," said their leader, a man in a dark blue cape.

He had a hood pulled over his face, and under his cape were layers of tattered jackets. His followers all had dark coloured robes and jackets, and one even had his face completely wrapped up in a turban. Every one of them were drenched due to the rain.

"Come here," snapped the man.

Thomas attempted to grab his pistol, but the men pulled out rifles and pointed them at the two. Thomas and Christine were forced to obey. As they walked up to the man, he pulled the hood off his face, they saw he was a middle-aged man with a thin, fuzzy face and short, black hair. One of his eyes was solid gold.

"Who are you?" asked Thomas.

"I am Zasalamel," he replied. Despite his Egyptian name, he was a caucasian man, and spoke in a British accent.

"Come again?" said Thomas. Zasalamel grabbed Thomas by the neck.

"I am Zasalamel, of the tribe of Sumer," replied Zasalamel. "Over 5 millenia ago, I was in charge of protecting a sacred treasure, but I was kicked out of my tribe when I attempted to take that treasure. Throughout my life, I studied magic and eventually found the secret to reincarnation." He then threw Thomas to the floor.

"Reincarnation?" asked Thomas.

"Yes," replied Zasalamel, "Everytime I die, I would be resurrected in a new form, and in a new place. Only my memories remain intact. I have died every way imaginable, and everytime I came back."

"I don't believe a word that you're saying," said Thomas.

"It doesn't matter," said Zasalamel, "I want you to come with us. I need you to help me find the Soul Edge. I have been following you since the day you left. I tried to have you assasinated, but when I saw close you were getting, I knew that I needed to take you alive, so you can help me find it."

"So it was you who sent those spies!" shouted Christine.

Thomas looked over Zasalamel's shoulder and saw that one of his followers was indeed the man with the sword they encountered in the forest.

"You are truly a worthy warrior to have made it this far," said Zasalmel coldly, "Now it's time to help me achieve my goal."

He then ordered his men to tie up Christine and Thomas. As they did so, Bijoux, the horse, began to behave irradically and thrash about. One of the men pointed his gun at the horse's face and fired.

"YOU BASTARD!" screamed Christine. She broke free and tried to attack Zasalamel, but he merely backhanded her and she fell to the floor.

"Christine!" said Thomas. "Zasalamel, you're going to pay for that!"

Zasalamel simply smirked. One of the men picked Christine off the floor. She was barely conscious and a trickle of blood ran down her mouth. When their hands were both tied up, Zasalamel and his followers took them out of the cave and into the pouring rain.

"Where are you taking us?" demanded Thomas.

"We shall head to my secret hideout," said Zasalamel, "But first, we will pass by a special place." The man with the turban carried out Christine and Thomas' supplies.

For most of the walk, Thomas was silent. He was horrified whenever he looked at Christine, who was still dazed and was practicaly being carried by Zasamalel. Though the followers were all a creepy looking bunch, the turban man especially gave Thomas the chills. Through the little space in his turban, Thomas could see his eyes. He seemed to be studying Thomas and Christine.

The rain eventually calmed down, but not before Thomas was soaking wet.

"Why do you want the Soul Edge anyway?" asked Thomas.

"Simple," said Zasalamel, "I want to die."

"What?"

"You don't know how miserable my existence has been. Everytime I die, it's like being crushed into the earth, and when I come back, it's like being reborn into the fires of Hell. My search for immortality was in vain, because now, I am cursed. Over 500 years ago, I came across the Soul Edge. I tried to impale myself with it, but instead of dying, I bonded with it. I was its slave and I carried out many killings until..."

"Until Necrid found you," interrupted Thomas.

"Yes. He killed me and took Soul Edge for himself. When I was reborn, I tried to search for Necrid, but by that time, it had disappeared, and the Soul Edge was lost. I finally realized what I had done wrong with the Soul Edge. If I can find it now, I can finally carry out my plan."

"You're willing to risk the lives of others just so you can die?"

"I know it sounds selfish, but if you felt what I feel, then you too would do the same." They continued to walk until they arrived at looked like a small house in the middle of the woods.


	8. The Map

**Chapter 8:**

Zasalamel slowly made his way into the cabin, pulling off his wet hood. He approached the counter where a strange looking man stood. Thomas and Christine stood near the entrance and watched.

"I need the map," said Zasalamel in a very creepy voice.

"Where's my money?" asked the man.

"Right here," Zasalamel pulled out a small sack and handed it to the man.

The man took out a small map.

"It's a great pleasure doing buisiness with you, Zasalamel," said the shopkeeper.

He began to dig into the sack. It was full of gold coins. Pleased, the man handed the map to Zasalamel. Zasalamel was about to leave the shop when the man suddenly shouted:

"STOP!" Zasalamel obeyed."You cheater! These coins are not gold! They are fakes!"

"I'm sorry," said Zasalamel, his back still turned, "You are brighter than I thought."

"You are not going anywhere until I get my map back," he pointed a pistol at Zasalamel.

"Big mistake," said Zasalamel, turning his head slightly.

Suddenly Zasalamel's followers burst through the door, wielding rifles. They immediately opened fire. The man fell to the floor, riddled with bullets.

"Raid the store," said Zasalamel.

The followers obeyed. Thomas and Christine watched in horror as the men hopped over the counter and grabbed everything in sight. The turban man on the other hand, stayed near the entrance and calmly pulled a few things off of a nearby shelf and put it into his bag. He then glanced at Thomas and Christine before heading outside. The rest of the men followed.

"What the hell did you do?" Shouted Thomas.

"You can't expect me to pay over 350 gold coins for this," replied Zasalamel, holding up the map.

"But you killed that poor man!" said Christine.

"Sorry, but I needed his supplies. I am a traveller, you know." said Zasalamel. He then walked out of the store. Thomas and Christine followed.

"What is that?" asked Thomas.

"A map of Palermo," replied Zasalamel, "You guys were already heading there weren't you?"

"But all that for a map?"

Zasalamel laughed. "This is no ordinary map. With the Italian Wars going on, people all over Italy have been trying to hide their possessions from the invading armies. There are stories of various burial grounds all over Italy; Secret places where nobles hide their greatest treasures. If the Soul Edge is in Italy, then it must be in one of those spots. With this map, I will find it, and you two will help me."


	9. The Master Returns

**Chapter 9:**

It was now a clear, sunny day. The city in the South of France was a large, bustling centre where many activities were going on. Thomas and Christine, however, barely had any time for sightseeing. They soon found themselves at the top room of a large tower at the east side of town. They were tied up in 2 small chairs. There were a couple of windows, and through one of them, Thomas could see a harbour with many ships coming in and going out. Zasalamel and several of his followers stood quietly in the room, waiting. The turban man leaned against the corner of the room, keeping his eye on Thomas and Christine.

"So?" asked Thomas.

"I dispatched 2 of my men to Italy to investigate the region," said Zasalamel, "I am waiting for their response before heading there."

"What do we have to do with your plan?" asked Christine.

"When we get to Palermo," began Zasalamel, "We will strike at the Cathedral of Palermo, where the tomb is located. You enter the underground tomb with me as my companions cause a distraction. When we find the Soul Edge, my men and I will flee, and you two will have to deal with the angry soldiers that come to meet us."

"But you can't do that!" screamed Thomas.

"But I can," replied Zasalamel, "And if you refuse, Christine's father will suffer the same fate as her precious horse."

"You're bluffing!" snapped Christine.

"Do you want to find out?" asked Zasalamel.

"You fucking monster," whispered Christine.

"What did you say?" asked Zasalamel, bringing his face right up to hers.

"I said you're a GODDAMN MONSTER!!" She then spat in his face. Zasalamel wiped it off.

"I've done my research," said Zasalamel, "If you had done your a little better, you would have already found the Soul Edge, and you wouldn't be in this mess." He then walked off.

"I don't believe this," whispered Christine. Thomas could see tears in her eyes.

"This is all my fault," whispered Thomas, "I should have never left the antiques shop.

"No, Thomas," said Christine, "It's nobody's fault. God, I should have never come."

"Don't worry, we'll get out of this."

"No we won't." Christine began to cry. Thomas looked up and saw that the turban man was still staring at them.

"Christine," Thomas began, "There's something I wanted to tell you..."

"What?"

"I...I..."

"Ha!" interrupted Zasalamel, "The letter has arrived." At that moment, a large bird entered through the window and dropped a piece of paper into Zasalamel's hands. He slowly opened it up.

"WHAT??!!" he boomed, "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" The letter read:

_"Your men have been captured and the tomb remains sealed. You lose, Zasalamel."_

Zasalamel crumpled up the paper and threw it violently to the floor.

"Who's responsible for this?" the once calm man was now shouting loudly. "It was you, wasn't it?" He pointed at Thomas and Christine. "You little..."

"Leave them alone," said the man with the turban. That was the first Thomas ever heard him talk.

"What?" said Zasalamel.

"I said leave them alone." The turban man got out of the corner and pulled out a small rod.

"It was you?" Zasalamel said, "Kill him!!!"

Immediately, Zasalamel's followers began to attck the turban man. He quickly pressed a button on his rod and it instantly grew to almost 6 feet in length. With great ease, the man swung his rod around and knocked down 2 men by his side. He then impaled a man coming at him from the front. He smacked Zasalamel on the back and knocked him down. The turban man then ran up to Thomas and Christine and untied them using a small pocket knife. When they were free, they immediately picked up their weapons and began to fight off the other men. Zasalamel quickly stood up and lifted his hand while shouting out a magical incantation. All of a sudden, a large scythe appeared in his hands. He began to swing his scythe at Thomas.

"You cannot beat me," said Zasalamel.

He then brought his weapon down on Thomas' head. Thomas dodged it, but Zasalamel immediatley lifted the scythe and struck Thomas in the shoulder with the other end. Nearby, Thomas could see the turban man and Christine fighting off the others. Zasalamel then viciously charged charged at Thomas. Though Thomas blocked the impact with his rapier, the shock was enough to push Thomas back. Zasalamel was about to deliver a mighty swing when Thomas suddenly kicked him straight in the stomach. As Zasalamel staggered back, Thomas drove the rapier straight into his heart. He dropped his scythe.

"Curse you, Thomas," muttered Zasalamel.

As soon as Thomas pulled the rapier out of Zasalamel, he fell to the floor, dead. Thomas then helped fight off the remaining men until the room was clear of enemies. Thomas and Christine were covered in blood, but the turban man was surprisingly clean. There was a long silence.

"Who are you?" Thomas said finally.

The man suddenly pulled off his turban. He was a gruff looking Chinese man with long, brown hair and a thick beard. He had strange markings on his face.

"I am the Edge Master," he replied, "I am a monk of the Ling sheung Su Temple in China. "

"Why are you here?"

"My goal in life is to destroy the evil of the Soul Edge. I learned about Zasalamel's covenant and infiltrated it to learn more about the cursed sword."

"Listen," said Christine, "What do you want from us?"

"I want to help you on your journey. You have done well on your own, but you will need guidance in order to deal with the Soul Edge."

"Fair enough," said Thomas, "Do you have any idea where it is?"

"Yes, it is in Italy,"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes," Edge Master smirked, "I put it there."

"WHAT?" Christine and Thomas shouted at the same time.

"In my youth, I tried searching for the cursed sword to increase my power. I found it and contrary to the legends, it did not take control of my will. My will was strong and with the Soul Edge in my hand, I was a formidable warrior. But I eventually grew tired of my newfound power. I wanted find ultimate power without the aid of the legendary sword. So, I broke the sword in two, placed it in a chest and buried it in an old money pit."

"So it's still there?" asked Thomas.

"Possibly."

"My God," said Christine.

Edge Master looked out the window. "We must go now," he said, "I have a boat on the docs. We will make our way to Italy immediately. From there we will find out where the sword has gone to. We must protect the Soul Edge from evil hands!"

They all gathered up their stuff and headed outside to the docs. They climbed onto a small boat that was parked nearby.

"Thomas," said Christine as she made her way onto the boat, "What were you about to say to me before?"

"Oh," replied Thomas, "It was nothing. Nevermind."


	10. On Board the Adrian

**Chapter 10:**

For the next while, The trio spent their time on the boat riding the rough ocean waves. Though it was exceptionally windy that day, the boat was sailing right on course with no problems. Thomas and Christine trained with Edge Master. Though he was skilled with a rod, Edge Master knew how to handle several different weapons, including the rapier. He passed several of his skills onto the two in hopes that thew ould be able to better defend themselves against powerful enemies. They also listened to his tales of the Soul Edge.

"I have should have done more to protect the Soul Edge from evil hands," said Edge Master, "I just tossed it away. I was stupid to think that no one would go looking for it again."

"Don't worry," said Christine, "We'll find it and destroy it." Thomas stood nearby eating an apple as he stared out into the sea.

"Yes, but..."

"Hey, what's that?" interrupted Thomas.

Far out in the distance, the trio saw a large ship with enormous sails and a figurehead of a very scary looking mermaid. The ship was coming towards their ship very fast. Christine pulled out a telescope and looked through it.

"I don't like the look of that ship," said Christine.

"Pirates?" asked Thomas.

"What do they want from us?" asked Edge Master.

"I'm not sure if they are pirates," said Christine, "But it's coming at us pretty fast." All of a sudden, the ship began to turn around until it was parallel with their ship.

"Jesus Christ!" shouted Thomas. The ship readied its cannons. "Everybody duck!" The ship began to fire the cannons. One of the cannonballs struck the mast of the ship, causing it to split in two.

"This ship is too small!" said Edge Master, "It will never stand up to all those cannons."

More cannons were fired. Several of them struck the ship, creating massive holes on the side.

"Damn!" sahouted Edge Master. "We must get out! Quick the life boat!"

Another wave of cannonballs hit the front of the ship, blowing that section off completely. The boat began to sink rapidly. It raised several items on the deck slid down the now slanted the ship. Edge Master, Christine, and Thomas struggled to maintain their balance as the ship was about to become perpendicular to the water. Edge Master and Christine made their way onto a life boat, taking a few supplies with them. Thomas, however, slipped and did not make it in at the same time.

"Come on, Thomas!" shouted Christine.

"You can do it!" said Edge Master.

Thomas tried to stand up and pick up his bag. But as he attempted to jump on, a large cannonball suddenly flew in and landed right in front of Thomas. The resulting impact broke the floor and caused Thomas to fall backwards. The life boat fell into the water just as Thomas did. Another bunch of flying cannonballs made it impossible for Edge Master and Christine to get close to the ship to rescue Thomas.

"THOMAS!" screamed Christine, "We must go back for him!"

"It's too dangerous!" said Edge Master, "The pirates are too close to the ship. We can never rescue him."

"But Thomas..."

"He's gone, Christine. He didn't make it." Christine broke down and cried. Edge Master patted her back.

"Oh God!" she screamed, "I'm sorry, Thomas! I'm sorry!"

Christine wiped her tears and hugged Edge Master. The violent waves pushed the life boat far away from the bloody scene. That was the last Christine ever saw of Thomas.

Thomas awoke after what felt like hours. He was completely wet, but otherwise okay. He found himself lying on hard, wooden deck. His blue coat had been tossed aside. He did not have any of his items on him-His bag, his gun, his rapier. Thomas coughed a bit, then sat up. He looked around and saw he was on a ship. There was a group of people standing nearby and staring. They were all dirty and gloomy looking. Thomas stood up and tried to speak, but instead coughed up a bit of water.

"_Ola, Signor!_" said a deep and raspy voice.

Thomas turned his head to see the speaker. He was a tall man with a green coat that reached his ankles, green pants to match, and a large hat with a feather sticking out of it. A white shirt and a large brown sash that went across his chest completed his costume. At the bottom of his sash, there was a holster with a pistol inside of it.

"Who are you?" Thomas said.

"My name is Cervantes De Leon," said the man, "Welcome aboard the Adrian."

"The Adrian?" asked Thomas, "Are you the captain?" Thomas looked around. He recognized the large sails and creepy figurehead. "This is a pirate ship!" Exclaimed Thomas.

"Please," said Cerantes, "We prefer the term 'Buccaneers'."

He then approached Thomas. The pirates merely stood in the background, staring.

"What do you want from me?" asked Thomas.

"Just rummaging through your stuff," said the pirate, smiling.

Thomas turned around and saw the ocean. The debris from Edge Master's ship was there. Several pirates in lifeboats were digging through the stuff.

"What the..." began Thomas, "Where are my friends?"

"I did not see them," replied Cervantes, "Perhaps they left you behind." Cervantes then turned to face the pirates. "Or perhaps they were blown to smithereens by these dumbasses over here who don't know when to stop firing the fucking cannons!" The pirates lowered their heads in shame. "Seriously, though. You are a damn lucky man to have made it out alive."

Thomas looked down Cervantes' jacket and saw that he had a rapier strapped to his belt, just like Thomas.

"Now what?" asked Thomas, "You're going to kill me?"

"No," laughed Cervantes, "We didn't waste our time dragging you up from the water just so we can kill you again."

"So you wanna help me?" Cervantes and the other pirates began to laugh. They were practically rolling on the floor.

"SILENCE!" Cervantes suddenly screamed, and the pirates obeyed. "No, no. We need some extra help taking care of this ship. From now on, you are a slave of the Adrian. Too bad your friends are gone," Cervantes moved in so close to Thomas that Thomas could smell his foul breath. "They could have helped. Now, scrub the decks."

"You don't understand, I need to get somewhere!"

"I said, get to work!" Cervantes pointed his pistol at Thomas' face.

Thomas walked towards the middle of the ship to where a bucket and sponge stood. He bent down and began to scrub.

"And when you're done," snapped Cervantes, "You can join Seamus below decks." After a while, the pirates who were searching the debris came up.

"What did you find?" demanded Cervantes.

"Some old clothing" said one of the pirates, "And this." He held up Thomas' bag.

"What's inside?"

"Some fancy junk." He pulled out several of the antiques. "Hmm, there seems to be a book."

"Let me see," said Cervantes.

He took the book and flipped through it. Thomas knew that it was the book of Necrid.

"What is this?" snapped Cervantes, "The pages are blank. The ink must have washed off!" He then tossed the book into the ocean. "Is the _you-know-what_ there?"

"No sir," replied the pirate, "We did not find it."

Thomas ignored the pirates and continued scrubbing. He was quite aware of the mess he was in, but all he had on his mind were Edge Master and Christine. He knew at the bottom of his heart that they got away in the lifeboat, but he felt especially concerned for Christine's safety. He prayed that she would be safe.

That night, after finishing up with the decks, a pirate escorted Thomas below decks. He also stripped Thomas of his clothes and forced him to wear a pair of dirty old pants and an empty potato sack as a top. As Thomas entered dimly lit room, he saw a small man sitting in a corner peeling potatoes. He was around 30 years old with a scruffy beard and long hair. He wore a similar outfit to Thomas.

"Hello, friend," said the man, smiling. He had an Irish accent.

"Um, hi," said Thomas.

"Don't just stand there man, sit over there." Thomas obeyed. The man was unusually cheerful. "Me name's Seamus."

"So I've been told," said Thomas, "My name is Thomas."

"Ay, me step-father was named Thomas."

"Cool," said Thomas. He picked up a knife and began to peel potatoes.

"Are you from England?"

"Yes."

"I'm from Ireland. Yup. Dublin is one of the most beautiful towns in Europe. Do you travel a lot?"  
"How can you be so happy? Look at this! We're slaves, goddamnit!"

"I always try to look at the positive side of life. I've been here for 3 years now. For the first time in me life, I'm doing a real job."

"This is slavery for God's sake! It's illegal! I don't know about you, but I'm not spending the rest of my life on a pirate ship peeling fucking potatoes and getting yelled at by Captain Hook up there!" He then whipped a potato across the room. "Not when my friends are somewhere out there."

"When I get mad I like to sing songs, said Seamus.

"You're not even listening."

"Of course I am. You just need to lighten up."

"Fine, fine." Thomas continued to peel potatoes. "Damn, peeling potatoes is so cliché."

"I know. I don't even think that they'll eat all of them, but I peel them anyways. Wait until you see where we sleep."

Thomas sighed.


	11. Cervantes' Story

**Chapter 11:**

That night, Thomas dreamt of Christine and where she could have gone to. He began to feel responsible for what happened to her. It was because of him that Christine decided to leave her house and follow him on the journey. Thomas tossed and turned in his small straw bed in the small, filthy cell.

"What's wrong, friend?" Seamus asked from his cell.

"Just a bad dream," replied Thomas.

"Ay, you seem troubled."

"You see," began Thomas, "I have this friend and she was with me on my journey before I got captured. I'm positive she got away, but I fear that she might be in danger, and it's all my fault. I need to find her."

"Listen, Thomas, you can't blame yourself. And you don't worry about her, she'll be okay."

"How do you know?"

"Don't you trust her? Do you think that because she is a woman she can not handle herself?"

"Well, no I mean..."

"She'll be okay. With a partner like you, I'm sure she would make an excellent traveller."

"Thanks," said Thomas, smiling.

"Besides, you must remember: She probably feels the same for you. She too must be somewhere out there, tossing and turning in her bed."

"You're right." Thomas did not realize that before. The last time Christine saw him, he had nearly been blown apart by a cannonball. She probably thought he was dead.

The next morning, Thomas found himself and Seamus outside repairing several damaged floorboards. Cervantes walked up to them.

"I don't like the way you're hammering those nails. Start all over!" he said.

"Come on!" said Thomas, "This is the 3rd time!"

"If any of my men fall through the floor, I'll blow your head off."  
"Can't they fix it?"

"No," Seamus cut in, "We're the slaves."

"Thanks for reminding me," said Thomas sarcastically.

"That's a smart boy," said Cervantes, "Now do your job."

"Or you'll make me walk the plank?"

"That's so passé." He then walked off.

"CAPTAIN! I SPOT A SHIP!" shouted the watchman, who was sitting in the watchtower looking at the surroundings with a telescope.

"Hear that?" Cervantes said to the pirates, "Let us head there! Prepeare the anchor, man the sails! You slaves, get below decks!"

"But we're fixing the floor," said Thomas.

"GET THE FUCK BELOW DECKS!" screamed the captain, pointing his gun at them.

Seamus and Thomas headed below decks. A random pirate quickly threw them into their cells and locked the doors before running back outside.

"What the Hell is going on?" asked Thomas.

"Ay, there going to attck that ship, just like they did yours," replied Seamus.

"But, why?"

"I guess they're looking for treasure. I don't know what it is, though."

At that moment they heard cannons firing.

"I can't stay on this ship anymore. The next time we hit land, I'm getting off. I need to find Christine."

"Well, it's possible." Seamus moved to the cell door and grabbed the lock. "These locks are very weak. With the right object, it's possible to jimmy them open."

"Like what?" asked Thomas.

"A bolt, or a tack could do," replied Seamus.

"Then what?"

"Well, there's a passage somewhere down that hallway. It will take you to the main cabin. From there, you can walk right outside and onto land, assuming you manage to sneak by any pirate that's on guard duty."

"How do you know all this stuff?"

"Remember, I've been on this ship for over 3 years. I know all the tricks."

"And you never made any attempt to leave?"

"It's too dangerous. Plus, what have I got to live for? I have no family, and all my friends have forgotten me now."

"Listen," said Thomas, "There's a whole world out there full of excitement and oppurtunities. No person deserves to spend their entire life in here!"

"But..."

"If you have nothing to live for, then make something to live for. That's something my father used to say."

Seamus bowed his head, "I guess you're right."

The cannons stopped firing and a pirate ran down and unlocked the cell door. Before leaving the cell, Thomas saw out of the small window what became of the ship.

Above decks, Thomas and Seamus resumed their work on the floorboards. Not too far from him stoode Cervantes, who was yelling at some pirates.

"But sir," said a big, fat pirate with a bushy beard, "How was I supposed to know that they were going to fire back?"

"Maybe I should give your telescope up to someone else!" shouted Cervantes, "And you guys? Could you be any slower at aiming those things?" The pirates lowered their heads. "If one of those cannons had hit my ship, even if it was just a scratch, then I would have blown your head off! Understand?"

The pirates all nodded.

"Now," said Cervantes, "Go search the wreckage."

Thomas, who had been watching Cervantes' tirade, returned to work on the floor once the pirates left. Cervantes suddenly approached Thomas.

"Are you done with the floor yet?" he demanded.

"Not yet, sir," said Seamus.

"Well, when you are, head below. I need you two to move some stuff to my chambers." Cervantes walked off.

"What happened to all those people in that boat?" asked Thomas.

"What do you care?" snapped Cervantes.

"Are they all dead?"

"Yes. As we pirates say, they've gone to the bottom of Davy Jones' Locker."

"How could you do this? Why do you go around attacking innocent ships?"

"It's pirate buisiness. I'm looking for a very important treasure. I don't suppose you know where it is."

A bad feeling arose in Thomas' stomach. Did Cervantes find the map?

"Of course not," said Cervantes suddenly, "You don't even know what I'm talking about!" He then walked up to thomas and bent down so that he was with eye level with him.

"Do you know why I became a pirate?" asked Cervantes.

"No," answered Thomas.

"My father, Philip De Leon, was a privateer who looted ships for the King of Spain. One day, he was attacked by an English Warship. He survived, but the ship was totally destroyed. My father was abandoned by the King and was left to die on his own somewhere, while my mother strived to support me on her own. I forsake the allegiance my father swore to Spain and became a pirate. Why should people follow the laws of their government if the government does not care about their lives? After I chose life on the sea, I never looked back."

"But..."

"Get back to work," said Cervantes coldly. As Cervantes walked away, Thomas picked up several nails off of the floor.

"I'll drop them into my cell later on," he whispered to Seamus. Seamus simply smiled.


	12. Escape!

**Chapter 12:**

For the next few weeks, Thomas and Seamus continued to work odd jobs on the ship. By then, Thomas' hair had grown quite long and he had also grown a beard, as he had not seen a barber for a long time. For the whole time, Christine remained on Thomas' mind. Thomas had a bad feeling that Cervantes was actually looking for the Soul Edge and that he knew where it was thanks to the map that Thomas had left in his coat pocket. Cervantes, however, needed to make an emergency stop near Naples in order to replenish his supplies. Thomas knew that this was his oppurtunity to escape. Once the land became visible, Cervantes had Thomas and Seamus locked up in their cells as the pirates walked onto the shore to grab the supplies. Thomas sat in his cell meditating his escape plan.

"Thomas," whispered Seamus.

"Yes?" said Thomas.

"How are you going to escape? There's a guard over there." Seamus pointed to a pirate on the other side of the room sitting on a chair, twiddling his thumbs.

"I don't know," replied Thomas, "I didn't count on him being there." Thomas then thought hard for a while. "I got it!"

He then motioned Seamus to move closer to him. Through the bars that seperate the cells, Thomas whispered his plan to Seamus. A short while later, the two began to sing loudly.

"Fuck," muttered the pirate, "All those other pirates get to go loot some stuff, while I'm stuck in here listening to those idiots sing." He then stood up. "HEY! SHUT UP!"

They ignored him.

"Hey," said the pirate, "You guys suck! Shut up!"

They continued to sing.

"I said, SHUT UP!"

They continued to sing

"What the Hell is wrong with you? STOP SINGING!!!" The pirate then ran up to Thomas' cell.

"Listen, mister..."

Thomas then stopped singing and shoved his hands through the bar and grabbed the pirate's face. He immediately pulled the pirate back, slamming his head into the bars and knocking him unconscious.

"Sorry, buddy," said Thomas, "No encores."

Thomas then threw himself to the floor and began to search the nails he had stored in his straw bed.

"Like finding a needle in a haystack," joked Seamus.

"Yeah."

Thomas found two nails. They had been bent into hooks. Thomas shoved his hands through the bars and began to pick furiously at the lock. After several minutes, the lock came undone and Thomas escaped. He then pulled the key off of the unconscious pirate and unlocked Seamus' cell.

"Now," began Thomas, "You need to show me this secret passage."

"Sure," said Seamus.

Seamus stole the knife from the unconscious pirate and the two then ran down the nearby hallway. They spent the next few minutes running down various corridors.

"Um, Seamus," said Thomas, "Do you even know where you're going?"

"Not really," said Seamus, "I've only been down this corridor once in me whole life."

"Now you tell me."

"Hmmm..." Seamus thought for a moment, "Let's go this way!" They then ran down the hallway to the left. Unfortunately, they heard some pirates coming down the hallway.

"Bad idea!" said Seamus. They ran down the opposite corridor. They eventually found themselves in a hallway with a large door.

"Here we are!" said Seamus.

"Um," said Thomas, "It's locked."

"Try to jimmy it open," said Seamus.

"Oh, great!" Thomas said, "That pirate's key doesn't work!"

"Try the nails!" said Seamus.

Thomas then grabbed the nails and picked the lock.

"Fuck," snapped Thomas, "It's not working!"

"Keep trying!"

At that moment, more pirates could be heard coming down the adjacent hallway.

"It just can't get any worse!" said Thomas. They had not opened the door yet, and pretty soon, they would be spotted.

"Thomas," said Seamus, "Stay here and open the door."

"Wait a minute," said Thomas, "You can't!"

"Like I said, Thomas, I got nothing to live for. You need to find your friends, and the Soul Edge."

"You don't have to do this!"

"Bye, Thomas. Tell Christine I said 'Hello.'"

Seamus then ran down the hallway and stopped right in front of the pirates' path.

"I'm over here, boys, come get me!" shouted Seamus. The pirates then chased him down the hall. Thomas was now alone.

"Shit," muttered Thomas.

He then succeeded in unlocking the door. He quickly walked intothe hallway and headed down a long passage. When he emerged, he found himself in the main cabin. Thomas now needed to find a way out. However, as he ran down the hallway, he encountered a pirate.

"Hey, you!" shouted the pirate.

"Crap!" said Thomas.

Thomas picked up a nearby portrait and brought it down on the pirates head, knocking him out. Thomas then ran like Hell. Somehow, the word got out that Seamus and Thomas and escpaed and many pirates from outside, including Cervantes, began to pour into the ship, looking for them.

As Thomas ran down a hall, he passed by Cervantes' chambers. He remembered carrying boxes to that room and seeing his stuff there. Thomas quickly entered the room and slammed the door. The room was enormous with a king-sized bed, a closet, and a large desk filled with papers that stood in front of a giant glass window. Right next to the desk was a coat hanger where Thomas' blue coat hung. Under the coat were his boots. First, Thomas approached the desk and searched it.he found his pistol, but there was no ammunition. His rapier was against the wall. All he needed was the map of Palermo, which was in his coat pocket. However, as he searched, Thomas heard Cervantes and two other pirates on the other side of the door.

"He's in there! Get him"

Thomas searched desperately for the map, but he knew he wasn't going to make it out on time. Just then, the door opened.

"Where is he?" demanded Cervantes.

"I don't know sir," said a pirate.

"Search the room!" One pirate searched under the bed while the other checked inside the closet. Cervantes looked under the desk. Thomas was nowhere to be found. The pirates gathered on the other side of the room.

"Where could he have gone?" asked Cervantes.

"Perhaps he's above decks," replied another pirate.

As they discussed, the blue coat on the rack jumped down and began to walk out of the room. Thomas had managed to his from Cervantes by putting on his coat and hanging himself on the rack. With his rapier in hand, and map in his pocket, Thomas slowly walked out of the room and headed above decks.

Thomas saw that they were parked at a dock. Nearby, there was a busy town with several markets and people rushing around. Thomas saw various pirates carrying large crates on board the ship. Thomas hid for a while until the coast was clear. After making his way off the boat, Thomas looked around for a place to hide, but it was too late. He saw Cervantes run on board the ship.

"The slave has escaped!" he shouted, "Get him! Get him!"

The pirates dropped their crates and pulled out swords and pistols. As several pirates charged Thomas, he used is rapier to defend himself from their attacks. Overwhelmed, Thomas began to run. The pirates began to fire their pistols, causing the bystanders to scream and run around in panic. This distraction was enough for Thomas to get as far away from the decks as possible.

"What are you doing, you fools?" screamed Cervantes, "After him! Don't let him escape!"

Just then, a pirate jumped in Thomas' path. the two fought for a while before Thomas received a nasty cut in his arm. During the fight, Thomas saw a horse-drawn carriage nearby. Desperate, Thomas stabbed the pirate to death, ran up to the carriage and threw himself on. The carriage began to move, and before long, the pirates were all far behind. Thomas was injured, but still alive. Knowing the pirates were also heading to Palermo, Thomas needed to find the Soul Edge as quickly as possible.


	13. The Merchant of Death

**Chapter 13:**

For the next two days, Thomas continued to secretly ride aboard the carriage. Thomas was still wearing his filthy potato sack shirt, but he had also tied his worn-out blue coat around his waist to make a belt in which he kept his rapier. For those two days, Thomas had not eaten anything, so when the carriage stopped in a nearby town, Thomas took the chance to explore the town and find something to eat. With no money and no supplies except his sword, Thomas survived by snitching food from local food stands. Thomas spent the night in an abandoned building. That night, Thomas began to forget about Christine, Edge Master, and even the Soul Edge-All he thought about was whether or not he would survive this mess. As he started to close his eyes, Thomas wondered whether or not he would make it through the night.

The next morning, Thomas hitched a ride on board another carriage in hopes of getting to Palermo. The sleep had refreshed Thomas, but the lack of nutrition made Thomas very weak. To make matters worse, the cut on Thomas' arm had not been treated-It was simply wrapped up in a piece of the dirty potato sack. Now, it had become infected.

Thomas was eventually discovered by the man driving the carriage and was kicked out. Alone, in the middle of the Italian countryside, Thomas had no choice but to walk to Palermo, even though he did not know how far he was from there. However, exhaustion soon caught up with him and he collapsed on the road. The last thing Thomas saw was a horse-drawn carriage approaching him.

Thomas awoke the next day. He found himself lying in a large bed in a brightly lit room with many fancy items placed around the room. Thomas still felt weak, but he wasn't sick anymore. Someone had stitched up his damaged arm and given him a fresh nightgown to wear. Thomas guessed he was in someone's home. He turned to a nearby nightstand where some fruit stood. Thomas grabbed an orange and began to eat it. At that moment, a man with a fancy suit entered the room.

"Hey!" said Thomas," Where am I?"

The man ignored him and ran out of the room and shouted, "Sir! He's awake!"

Thomas watched, confused, as another man entered the room and helped Thomas sit up in his bed.

"Who are you? Where am I?" demanded Thomas.

"Shhhhhh..." said the man. He was an older, medium sized man with a thin, pale face and long hair. He had small, baggy eyes, a long nose, and a large goatee. "Let me see your arm."

"Um..." began Thomas.

"It's okay," said the man, "My name is Vercci. I am the famed merchant of death."

"The what?" asked Thomas.

"The merchant of death. Have you not heard of me?" Thomas shook his head. "Well, I trade weapons for a living."

"Oh," said Thomas, "My name is Thomas Hunter. Is this your house?"

"Yes," said Vercci, "We are now in Palermo. One of my servants found you on the road and took you in. I called a doctor to treat you. You are very lucky to be alive."

"Thanks," said Thomas.

"Go back to sleep. After, I want to talk to you." The merchant of death left the room.

Thomas then closed his eyes.


	14. Decision

**Chapter 14:**

Later, Thomas awoke. His hair was cut and beard was shaved and he had been bathed. He stood on a large balcony staring out at the nearby river. The scenery was beautiful. Suddenly, Vercci stepped out onto the balcony.

"Enjoying the view?" asked Vercci.

"Very nice," said Thomas.

"All those olive trees are mine. It took me many years to grow them."

"You don't say."

"Come inside, Thomas."

The two walked through the balcony doors. Once inside, they entered Vercci's office. Vercci sat behind his desk. Thomas took a seat in front of the desk.

"What buisiness do you have in Palermo?" asked Vercci, placing the map onto the desk.

"Oh, right," said Thomas.

"I noticed that this map has several money tombs marked off. Do you know what those are?"

"I have an idea."

"It is a secret underground chamber where the rich, like myself, store their money to prevent it from being stolen. I, too plan on building a money pit. Not here, in Palermo, but somewhere outside the country. There is a lot of political instability and I must protect my earnings."

"Right," said Thomas, "Anyways, the reason I came here is because I am looking for the legendary Soul Edge. I had left with this girl and this man, but I was seperated from them when I got kidnapped by pirates. I just barely managed to escape the ship, and that's when you found me."

"The Soul Edge is in Palermo?"

"It's in this money pit," said Thomas pointing at the map, "I absoloutely need to find it. I think that those pirates are after it as well."

All of a sudden, the door swung open and a very tall and thin man, barely a teenager, stood at the doorway. He had short hair and long, pointy face. His outfit consisted of poofy, red, one-piece body suit.

"Master! Master!" shouted the man in a high pitch voice, "Look what Voldo got!" He held up two dead squirrels.

"Voldo!" snapped Vercci, "What did I say about interrupting me when I'm in my office?"

Voldo lowered his head in shame. "Sorry..." He was about to cry.

"My dear Voldo," said Vercci, "I didn't mean to scream. You'll have to excuse him, Thomas. His name is Voldo, and he is my servant."

"My friend?" asked Voldo.

"Yes, and my friend as well." Voldo jumped up and down, clapping his hands."I found this poor boy living off of the streets. Not only is he is an orphan, but all four of his brothers were killed in the War.

"That's terrible," said Thomas, standing up. He approached Voldo and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you." Voldo jumped back, scared.

"Don't be afraid, Voldo," said Vercci. Voldo shook Thomas' hand.

"Wait a minute," said Thomas, "I think I saw you somewhere before."

"Of course you did, Thomas," said Vercci, "He told me how he saved your life in France when you got attcked by those people. You were lucky he was passing by."

"You were the rifleman?" asked Thomas. Voldo nodded. "Thanks, I guess."

"Now, Voldo, run along and play some more, I'll talk to you after."

"Okay," said Voldo. He then ran outside the room.

"Now, where were we?" asked Vercci.

"The Soul Edge," said Thomas, "I need to find the Soul Edge. Will you help me?"

"Listen, Thomas, " began Vercci, "I am the merchant of death. My entire fortune was made off of trading rare weapons. I am in constant competition with other merchants. I would never ally myself with anyone to look for a weapon as powerful as the Soul Edge. But seeing the situation we are in at the moment, I will help you find the Soul Edge."

"Thanks a lot, sir," said Thomas.

"We leave in two hours." Thomas stood up and left the room.


	15. Into the Tomb

**Chapter 15:**

Thomas stood on Vercci's lawn practicing some moves with his sword. Nearby, stood Voldo, who had two claw-like contraptions mounted on his hands. He was swinging away at passing butterflies.

"Ah," said Vercci, who had just walked onto the lawn, "I see Voldo is practicing with his katars."

"His what?" asked Thomas.

"Katars," replied Vercci, "They are weapons favoured by assassins. I found them while on a journey in the Middle-East and when I showed them to Voldo, he could not get enough of them. He is rarely without his katars."

"Cool," said Thomas. Thomas was a little freaked out by the way Voldo moved around when he fought.

"Are you ready to go, Thomas?" asked Vercci.

"Yes," said Thomas, "Let's do this."

A while later, the three men found themselves in front of the Church of Palermo. The entrance was somewhere in the back.

"How are we going to get to the passage?" asked Thomas, "There are too many people!"

"Don't worry," said Vercci, "I've been here many times before. I know a special door through the back where we can get in."

The Merchant of Death led Thomas and Voldo to the other side of the Church where they entered through a secret door. They eventually found themselves behind the altar.

"This is it," said Thomas. He knelt down and felt the bricks on the floor.

"Here!" said Thomas suddenly, "I think I found it. But it's stuck!"

Thomas tried hard to pull the door open, but it wouldn't budge. Suddenly, Voldo grabbed his katar and shoved into the cracks and like a crowbar. The door popped wide open.

"Hmm," said Thomas, "Not bad."

"After you," said Vercci, smiling.

Thomas climbed down on a long wooden staircase. Vercci and Voldo were not far behind. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the men took out torches and lit them, as it was extremely dark in the large cavern. They walked down several long, narrow corridors for a couple of hours. Using his katars, Voldo marked the walls so that they wouldn't get lost.

Tired and frustrated, Thomas eventually made his way into a large, circular room filled with various treasures, including gold coins, jewellery, and antiques items.

"Jackpot," muttered Thomas.

He approached a pile of gold coins and picked some up. Thomas then looked up at the ceiling, where a giant chandelier hung. There was also a balcony that ran around the wall. Thomas then looked around and realized that he was all alone.

"Voldo?" shouted Thomas, "Vercci? Hello?"

A sense of fear filled Thomas as he looked around the room for them. He echoed their names across the entire room, but they did not respond.

Despite his fear, Thomas was determined to get to that balcony to see what was there. He climbed a nearby staircase to the top. After walking around the balcony for a bit, Thomas found a large hole in the wall. It was very dark in the hole and Thomas needed to hold up his torch to see what was inside.

There, before Thomas' eyes, was a large, wooden chest with a lock on it. A sense of excitement filled him. Edge Master mentioned placing the sword inside a chest, and Thomas knew this was the very chest Edge Master was talking about. However, as Thomas approached it, he heard someone walk up behind him. When he turned around, he saw a pistol pop up in front of his face.

"Hello," said Cervantes. There were 2 other pirates behind him.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" demanded Thomas.

"I am here to claim my prize," replied the Dread Pirate. Then, he and his 2 assistants walked closer to the chest. Cervantes continued to hold up his pistol to Thomas' face.

"You are surprisingly sneaky," said Cervantes, "You not only made your way off of my ship, but you managed to find the legendary sword with little help."

All of a sudden, Thomas bolted out of the hole and ran back onto the balcony. Cervantes did not chase him. Thomas bumped right into Vercci.

"Vercci!" shouted Thomas, "Thank God you're here! There are pirates here!"

"Don't worry," said the merchant of death in a cold voice, "They are friends of mine." He then grabbed Thomas' shoulders and brought him back to the pirates.

"Wait a minute," began Thomas, "These guys were working for you the whole time?"

"Yes," said Vercci, smirking, "I was aware of their knowledge of the high seas. I promised them nice monetary rewards if they can find the Soul Edge."

"When we found you, Thomas," said Cervantes, "I finally had my lead."

"My map," said Thomas.

"Yes," continued Cervantes, "I contacted Vercci regularly, especially after you left my ship."

"That's why you rescued me," said Thomas to Vercci, "That's why you had Voldo kill those bandits. You needed me alive to lead you to the Soul Edge."

"Precisely," said Vercci.

"But why do you need the Soul Edge that badly?" asked Thomas.

"With the Italian Wars going on, the fate of my country is at stake. Do you know what I am capable of doing if I had the Soul Edge? I can aid the government in destroying all the intruders. Italy will be the most powerful country in the World!"

"You're sick!" snapped Thomas, "Can't you see that the sword is evil?"

Cervantes then kicked Thomas in the shins, causing him to fall over.

"Poor fool," muttered Cervantes.

"You tricked me from the beginning," said Thomas from the floor, "You won't get away with this!"

"Do you want to know where your beloved Christine is?" asked Vercci. Thomas' eyes widened.

"She passed by my house. I let her stay for a bit, in hopes that she would lead me to you. I locked her up in my basement until I found you, Thomas. Then I gave her up to Cervantes over here."

"Hopefully," began Cervantes, "She will be a much better slave than you!"

"NO!" screamed Thomas.

He then watched in horror as Cervantes approached the chest and shot the lock off with his gun.

"How funny it is that all this time, the Soul Edge was right in my own backyard," said Vercci.

"When I'm done here," began Cervantes, "I will call my pirates to raid this place of its gold. All this stuff must be worth thousands!" Cervantes laughed and bent down. He slowly opened the chest.

"What the hell?" demanded the pirate.

"What is it?" asked Vercci.

"Look at this," Cervantes was not holding the Soul Edge, but rather a small piece of paper.

"There's no Soul Edge?" asked Vercci. Cervantes shook his head. "What does it say?"

"It's written by someone called the Edge Master. He says that the sword is somewhere else..."

"Where?" shouted Vercci.

Cervantes continued to read: "Let's see...What? The island of Corfu?"

"Of course," thought Thomas.

Edge Master lied about the Soul Edge's location to throw off his enemies. When Edge Master infiltrated Zasalamel's group, he must have told Zasalamel that it was down here. He said the same to Thomas and Christine in case they got captured.

"Now I have to travel all the way to Greece?" demanded Cervantes.

"It's not that far," said Vercci, "Plus, I will increase your reward."

"You better damn well do so! Come on men, let's go!"

"What about Thomas?" asked a random pirate.

"Get rid of him."

The pirates picked Thomas up by the arms and legs and held him over the edge of the balcony. Thomas squirmed and fought back desperately.

"Your resistance is in vain," said Cervantes.

With all their might, they tossed Thomas over the edge and he fell down the long shaft. A faint yell was the last thing the pirates heard from Thomas.


	16. No Way Out

**Chapter 16:**

Thomas awoke on the cold, dirty floor. Thomas was dizzy and blood was dripping down his forehead, but besides that, he was okay. Instead of landing on the floor, Thomas fell directly onto a pile of gold before rolling off onto the floor and bumping his head. Thomas stood up and rubbed his aching head. He needed to find a way out. Remembering the markings Voldo had left on the wall, Thomas into the corridor. Thomas soon realized that Voldo had marked every single wall in an attempt to confuse Thomas.

"Shit!" muttered Thomas.

Disoriented, Thomas ran down the endless series corridors for several minutes until he found himself in an enormous room with many broken statues thrown around. There was a staircase against the wall that lead to an exit, but the stairs were broken. A small spot of light shone in from a hole in the ceiling. As Thomas walked, he began to feel like someone was standing behind him. And then he heard a strange breathing noise....

"Who's there?" demanded Thomas, pointing his rapier to the source of the sound.

"Thomas..." said Voldo in a strange voice.

"Voldo? You've come to rescue me?"

"No," replied Voldo, holding up his katars, "Voldo come...To finish you off..."

"Oh," said Thomas, "Well, never mind then. See ya!"

Thomas immediately ran. Voldo was not too far behind him. Thomas soon found himself up against a wall. He turned around and fought off Voldo's attacks with his sword. Voldo slammed each of his katars down hard on Thomas, who desperately blocked each move. Thomas then rolled out of the way, causing Voldo to accidently lodge his katar into the wall.

"What's the matter, claw-boy?" taunted Thomas, "Stuck?"

"Grrrrr," said Voldo.

He then pulled his katar out of the wall and lunged at Thomas. Thomas dodged the move and continued to run. Voldo then went into a mantis crawl and charged at Thomas.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," said Thomas.

Thomas then jumped onto a fallen statue to avoid the attack. Voldo climbed the statue and continued the chase. From the statue, Thomas jumped leapt onto the broken stairs and desperately clung onto the edge. As Voldo also jumped onto the statue, Thomas quickly pulled himself up and climbed the stairs until he reached a high up balcony. Voldo curled up into a wheel and jumped onto the balcony with Thomas, blocking his exit.

"Damn, you're good!" said Thomas.

Voldo unleashed a fury of katar swipes, one of which cut a piece of Thomas' pants off. In a desperate attempt to avoid Voldo, Thomas moved closer to the edge.

"Time to die," whispered Voldo.

"Fat chance," said Thomas.

Voldo then leapt at Thomas. Thomas jumped off the balcony, but instead of falling, he grabbed onto the ledge. Voldo instead flew off the balcony and fell to the floor. Thomas pulled himself up stared down at the floor where Voldo's body lay. He was not sure whether Voldo was dead or just unconscious, but he did not intend to find out.

Thomas ran down the hallway that the balcony lead to. After climbing some stairs, Thomas found himself in a dark, tiny room. There was, however, a ring of light coming from the ceiling. It was a trap door. Thomas had finally found an exit! However, when Thomas tried to push it open, it wouldn't budge. It was locked.

"NOOOO!" screamed Thomas, "DAMN YOU!" Thomas pushed the hatch furiously until his hands started to hurt.

"GODDAMNIT! How will I get out of here now?"

Thomas then sat on the floor, frustrated. He felt like was doomed to be lost in that place forever. Christine was alone with those filthy pirates and the Soul Edge would soon be in Vercci's possession.

Just when Thomas had lost all hope, he suddenly heard a noise. The previously locked hatch had been opened and a bright light filled up the room. After spending so long in the dark, Thomas was forced to shield his eyes from the light. When he looked up at the hole, Thomas saw a silhouette. The figure held out his hand to Thomas.

"Need some help, friend?" said a familiar voice.

"Seamus?" asked Thomas.

"Ay," replied Seamus, "Take me hand."

Thomas grabbed his hand and climbed out of the hole. He was now almost a mile away from the church and in the middle of the street. In the daylight, Thomas got a good look at his old friend. His hair was shorter and all that remained was a small goatee.

"I don't believe this," said Thomas, "How did you get off the ship?"

"As I ran from the pirates," began Seamus, "I hid in a small room where I fought one of them off with the knife I took. After beating him, I covered himself in his blood and faked my death. When the pirates found me, they tossed me overboard, where I floated around until I was discovered by a passing ship that took me here."

"Incredible," said Thomas.

"Knowing you were heading here, I searched all over town for you. When I saw Cervantes and some man walk out of the Church and mention your name, I decided to head down. There were too many people in the Church, so I found another way in."

"You did an excellent job," said Thomas.

"It was the least I could do after you helped me escape." Thomas then hugged Seamus.

"Thanks a lot," said Thomas, "Now, I have to head to Greece. Where's the closest port?"

"Down there," replied Seamus, pointing, "Let me come along and help you, Thomas."

"No," said Thomas, "This is my battle. You've done enough for me. I can't let you get involved in this."

"Alright," said Seamus, "I understand."

"Seamus," began Thomas, "I'll come visit you in Dublin one day."

"I'd like that," said Seamus, "Good luck." Thomas began to run.

"Wait! Thomas!" yelled Seamus. Thomas ran back to Seamus. Seamus pulled out a blue coat and handed it to Thomas.

"I found this by the side of the road," he said, "I believe it's yours."

"Thank you, friend," said Thomas. He then put on the coat and ran to the port as fast as he could. He jumped on board a small ship.

"Hey!" shouted the captain, "Get off of my ship!"

"It's mine, now," said Thomas, pointing a gun at his face.

Without saying a word, the man ran off the ship. Thomas released the ship from the doc and set sail for Greece. This was it. It was time to kick some pirate ass.


	17. Showdown

**Chapter 17:**

It took several days to reach Corfu. Thomas was unsure of what was in store for him, and the trip was very rough. After what felt like a long time, Thomas arrived. He parked his own ship and got off. Thomas walked down the beach for a bit and soon found himself in a thick forest, where Edge Master supposedly hid the evil swords. Using his rapier, Thomas cut his way through thick branches and plants.

The trek across the forest had left Thomas' clothes very dirty, but he did not care. Thomas felt a strange energy coming from the forest. He was convinced that the Soul Edge was calling him. Thomas followed the strange energy for quite a while, not really paying attention to where he was going. He did not even notice the steep hill in front of him. Thomas suddenly fell down the hill and began to roll on the rough ground. When Thomas hit the bottom of the hill, he ended up in a large, muddy puddle.

"Gross!" shouted Thomas. He stood up and wiped his clothes with his hands.

He continued to walk until he felt the dark energy grow stronger. He pushed aside some trees and saw two swords; one large, one smaller, lodged into a small rock.

"I don't believe this," whispered Thomas. There it was: The Soul Edge.

After all that he had been through those past few months, Thomas had finally found what he was looking for. It was right in his grasp. Thomas approached the swords and grabbed the handles. After pulling them loose, Thomas held them up into the air and began to laugh. Just then, Thomas felt a sharp pain in his arms.

"Thomas," said a voice, "Thomas..."

"Who's there?" demanded Thomas.

He then looked down at the swords. A purple aura began to surround Thomas. A small eye suddenly opened on the larger sword and stared up at Thomas.

"What the..." shouted Thomas. He then threw the swords to the floor and shook his head violently.

"Oh no you don't, you little bastard!" said Thomas, "You're not gonna possess my soul!"

Thomas then pulled off his coat and wrapped the swords in it. Thomas then tied the coat around his back. Thomas knew that he couldn't let the evil swords fall into the hands of the pirates, but he desperately needed to find Christine and rescue her.

Elsewhere in the forest, on a large hill, Cervantes and fifteen of his men sat around staring at the surroundings and eating snacks. Christine sat nearby with her arms tied up.

"Sir," said one of the pirates, "When are we going to look for the Soul Edge again?"

"Not now," snapped Cervantes, "We have to eat first."

"I don't like this place," said the pirate "Gives me the creeps."

"Too bad," said Cervantes, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Hey," shouted Christine, "I'm hungry too!"

"You already ate," said another pirate.

"That bread was disgusting!" she replied, "Someone had taken a bite out of it!"

"Shut up!" snapped Cervantes,

Christine rolled her eyes and continued to fiddle with the ropes that bound her hands. She rubbed them against a nearby rock to try to tear them off.

"Why is she even here?" asked one of the pirates.

"Because," replied Cervantes, "We need her help in searching."

"Well," said a pirate, "I can't wait until we're done, so we can have a little 'fun' with her."

"Me too," said another pirate. They all nodded and laughed.

All of a sudden, Christine stood up and began to tip toe away from the pirates. As she left the campsite, Cervantes suddenly stood up and pointed his gun at her.

"And where do you think you're going, missy?" shouted Cervantes.

"I...I..." began Christine.

"Hold it right there!" shouted Thomas, who suddenly ran onto the scene.

"Thomas!" said Christine, "You're still alive?"

"Yeah," said Thomas, "And now I'm taking you away from Long John Silver over here."

"Thomas," said Cervantes, "You never ceased to amaze me. You are incredibly persistent. It'll be a shame for you to die now, after all this."

"Let Christine go," said Thomas.

"Why should I?" asked the Dread Pirate.

"Because I have this,"

Thomas then threw the blue coat to the ground and revealed the Soul Edge.

"Is that..." began Christine. Thomas nodded.

"The Soul Edge..." said Cervantes, awe-struck. He could see the menacing eye of the Soul Edge staring up at him.

"Give me Christine and I'll give you the sword," said Thomas.

"Thomas, are you insane?" asked Christine, "It's not worth it."

"Hold up the Soul Edge," ordered Cervantes. Thomas did as he was told. "Take the swords."

Two of Cervantes' pirates ran up to Thomas.

As Thomas held the swords, he felt a power surge through his body. A terrible sickness filled up Thomas's insides. Before long, a purple aura covered Thomas and the pupils faded from his eyes. The pirates were hesitant to approach him. The voice in his head was so loud now he couldn't help but obey.

"What the hell is going on?" screamed Cervantes.

All of a sudden, Thomas swung the Soul Edge, killing the two pirates instantly. Cervantes pulled out a pistol and fired shot Thomas straight in the chest. Thomas fell over.

"THOMAS!" yelled Christine. She broke down and cried.

"Idiot," muttered Cervantes.

The pirates then ran to Thomas' body to grab the Soul Edge. Just as one of them was about to grab the Soul Edge, Thomas opened his eyes.

"What the..."

Thomas jumped up and slashed down the pirate. Another two pirates charged at Thomas and he simply swung them away. The bullet that struck Thomas' chest had popped out and the wound healed in a matter of seconds. Thomas then let out an inhuman howl and charged at another bunch of pirates. He tossed them around like rag dolls.

"Thomas," shouted Christine, "What is happening? Stop, you're scaring me!"

Thomas ignored her and continued his massacre. It was clear now that Thomas was under the influence of the wicked sword.

"What are you doing?" demanded Cervantes "Kill him! Kill him!"

Suddenly, a dead pirate flew right into Cervantes, knocking him unconscious. After a few minutes, all the pirates were dead. Blood soaked the entire area, as well as Thomas' clothes. With no pirates left to kill, he turned his attention to Christine, who stood a just a few feet in front of him.

"Thomas," she cried, "Please stop. This isn't you."

Thomas readied his weapon. Christine reached for a nearby corpse and took his gun. She held it up to Thomas.

"Looks like I have no choice," thought Christine.

Thomas immediately charged Christine. Christine did not move. Instead, she focused carefully on him and held up the gun. When he was close enough, she fired.

Thomas managed to block the shot with the Soul Edge. But it was clear that Christine was not aiming for Thomas-Thomas stopped in his tracks and looked at the sword. The bullet was lodged right in the eye of the Soul Edge. Thomas soon felt a burning pain throughout his body. Electricity flew from the sword and Thomas began to yell very loudly. He jammed the swords into the ground, which created a massive energy wave that knocked Christine down. Thomas eventually let go of the handles and opened his eyes. He was normal again. When he looked around, he saw the bodies of the pirates and the blood on his shirt. When he saw the Soul Edge, he noticed that the eye had been closed. The sword was now silent.

"What have I done?" whispered Thomas. Just then he noticed Christine, lying on the floor and ran up to her. "Christine!"

He felt her pulse. She was unconscious, but still alive.

"What have I done to you?"

Thomas looked at Christine's face for a while. She looked so calm.

"It's alright now," said Thomas, "The sword is defeated now. It can't do any harm."

Thomas then turned around and saw Cervantes wake up, and begin to walk over to the Soul Edge.

"Alright, then," said Thomas, "Time to deal with him."

Thomas stood up and walked up to Cervantes.

"What the hell do you want?" said Cervantes. "First, you kill most of my crew, and now you stand in my way?"

"Leave now," said Thomas.

"No," replied Cervantes, "The Soul Edge is mine."

Thomas then unsheathed his rapier and pointed it at Cervantes.

"Is that how you wanna do things? Fine then..." Cervantes pulled out his own rapier. "TASTE MY PAIN!"

Cervantes unleashed a wave of attacks, which Thomas blocked. Thomas then attempted to slash Cervantes' legs, but the pirate jumped out of the way. Thomas tried to slash Cervantes' stomach, but he moved back just in time.

"My turn," said Cervantes. He thrusted his rapier and Thomas countered it.

As the combatants fought, they moved further up the large hill. Thomas tried hard to avoid Cervantes' vicious attacks. Desperate, Thomas threw himself to the floor and rolled behind a nearby rock for cover.

"What's the matter, boy?" taunted Cervantes, "Are you scared? Come out!"

Thomas jumped up and continued to fight. They were now almost at the top of the hill, where there was an enormous chasm. The two pressed their swords up against each other and held them.

"Before I kill you," said Cervantes, "I'm gonna chop your arms off. Then I'm gonna throw you on board my ship, and then I'm gonna make you watch Christine and I have a real good time."

"You're not gonna get away with this," said Thomas.

He then pushed Cervantes away. The Dread Pirate began fighting more viciously than ever.

Meanwhile, Christine, still shaken from before, slowly made her way up the hill where Thomas and Cervantes were. Thomas soon found himself being overpowered. All of a sudden, Cervantes dug his knee into Thomas' stomach, causing him to hunch over. Afterwards, the pirate brought the hilt of the rapier down on Thomas' back and Thomas fell to the floor. Cervantes placed his foot on Thomas' throat.

"So," began Cervantes, "How do you wanna do this?"

All of a sudden, a rock flew by Cervantes' head. Cervantes turned around to see that it was Christine who threw it.

"You!" shouted the pirate.

The distraction allowed Thomas to stand up again and attack Cervantes. The two began to fight again and moved backwards continuously. Thomas found himself at the edge of the chasm. When he looked down the cliff, he saw it was a long drop to the ocean. Thomas was so close to the edge that he was beginning to feel his foot slip off.

"Thomas!" shouted Christine.

"What have you got to say now, boy?" asked Cervantes.

"You're gonna die," replied Thomas.

"How so?"

Thomas then kicked Cervantes in the crotch. With a quick motion Thomas switched their places and Cervantes was now at the edge of the cliff, barely hanging on. Thomas pushed his rapier against Cervantes'.

"And when you hit the bottom of Davy Jones' locker," began Thomas, "Tell them _I _sent you."

Thomas kicked Cervantes straight in the chest, knocking him off the edge. Cervantes fell down the long cliff and disappeared into its depths.

"Thomas!" said Christine, who ran up to Thomas and hugged him, "You did it! You defeated Cervantes!"

"I couldn't have done it without you," said Thomas.

"What are we gonna do with the Soul Edge?" she asked.

"We can't keep it," said Thomas, "It's too powerful for anybody to handle. We must dispose of it."

"But you began this whole quest so you can find Soul Edge!"

"Well, I know now that my quest had a bigger purpose. For as long as there are evil forces out there, the swords must be hidden from the world."

"I can't believe it's all over."

"I know," Thomas looked up into the sky, "Christine, I have something to tell you..."

"What is it?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Thomas. Ever since the day we met, I knew I wanted to be with you."

Christine and Thomas then kissed. That was the most magical moment of Thomas' life.

"Let's get out of here..."

Thomas and Christine returned to the ship and headed west. After returning to Birmingham for a bit, Thomas quit his job and relocated to France so he can live with Christine for the rest of his life. Thomas and Christine realized they no longer needed fame, or wealth. The Soul Edge was gone, lost below the sea, and the world was safe for now. As long as Thomas and Christine has each other, they remained happy.

And so ends Thomas' tale of souls and swords. In the last few months, Thomas had gone from a being a mere antiques shop worker to a hero. Though the names of Thomas and Christine will be forever forgotten in history, their impact certainly will not...


	18. Epilogue

**Chapter 18:**

_1 Month Later..._

"Ladies and gentleman!" announced the auctioneer, Mr. Russo, in a strong Italian accent, "Welcome, welcome, to my auction! Today, I have for you so many excellent items that I have found on my many travels. The auction will start soon, so get your money ready!"

Mr. Russo was a travelling antiques dealer from Italy who often explored the European countryside, selling and buying rare items. Today, he had arrived on a small island in the Mediterranean Sea and from an old mansion, he decided to hold a special auction. Only the highly privileged were invited to bid. Several people showed up to the house and gathered in the main room where they were to bid on the rare antiques that Mr. Russo found on his journeys

"The first item up for bidding," said Mr. Russo "Is the legendary Soul Edge!"

He stepped onto the big stage and pulled off a large cloth, revealing the two swords, which rested on a small pedestal. A chorus of whispers could be heard in the audience. "We will start the bidding at 25 000 pounds!"

"30 000!" said an audience member.

"40 000!" said another.

"Going once, going twice..."

"50 000!" said a booming voice.

"Sold!" shouted Mr. Russo, "To the gentleman in the corner!"

The man who won the Soul Edge was a very tall, bearded man with long brown hair and a strong frame. He approached the stage and claimed his prize. People stared in envy as the energetic man showed off the swords.

After the auction was done, the guests headed outside with their prizes and began to head home. Mr. Russo headed outside as well.

"Excuse me," the man who won the Soul Edge ran after him.

"Oh, hello," said Mr. Russo.

"Hi," said the man, "My name is William Adams. I am the one who purchased Soul Edge."

"Yes," replied Mr. Russo, shaking his hand, "Pleased to meet you. Congratulations on your win."

"I must say," said William, "This is an incredible sword. I have been looking for it for years. How did you find it?"

"Believe it or not," began Mr. Russo, "An acquaintance of mine found it while fishing off the coast of Corfu. He came to see me soon after to have the swords appraised. I had never been that excited about anything in my entire life. I immediately agreed to assist him in auctioning off the sword."

"That is a great story," said William, "Where will you be heading off to now?"

"Home," said Mr. Russo, "My travelling days are over for now. As an appraiser, I have travelled the lands and found many treasures, but no treasure has been more valuable to me than my precious Valeria. Her mother died many years ago, and I was too absorbed in my work to remember how much my daughter needs me."

"That's nice to hear," said William, "I also have a a son. He and my wife are waiting at the inn. We are to set sail tomorrow. I sometimes forget how important to me he is..."

"Well," said Mr. Russo, "I wish you the best of luck with the swords. And please be careful out there. I have heard reports of pirates attack ships on the high seas.

"Don't worry," said William, "I'll be fine. Good day, sir!"

"Arrivederci," said Mr. Russo.

"Sir," Mr. Russo's assistant approached him, "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes," said Mr. Russo, "Time to set sail for home..."


End file.
